The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating development in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) and other marginalised areas through targeted investment in essential infrastructure and improved access to basic services.
The commitment was highlighted during a strategic consultative meeting between the Principal Secretary for East African Community Affairs and Acting Principal Secretary for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development, Dr. Caroline W. Karugu, and Ambassador (Eng.) Mahboub Maalim, Chairman of the Equalisation Fund Advisory Board.
The meeting, held at the Principal Secretary’s office in Nairobi on Thursday, focused on strengthening development and inclusion for ASALs and marginalised communities.
The Equalisation Fund is a constitutional affirmative action mechanism established to help bring basic services in marginalised areas closer to the standards enjoyed in other parts of the country. According to the Ministry, the Fund supports investments in priority areas such as sustainable water systems, feeder roads, community health facilities and electricity connectivity.
Infrastructure investment
The Ministry said targeted financing through the Equalisation Fund is critical in addressing historical underinvestment in remote and ASAL regions, where inadequate infrastructure has constrained economic activity and access to public services.
The Fund provides ring-fenced financing for priority projects in areas where development gaps remain significant. These investments include modern health dispensaries, high-capacity solar-powered boreholes and last-mile electricity connections to households and public institutions.
The approach is intended to ensure that resources are directed towards communities with the greatest infrastructure deficits, while supporting improved access to essential services.
Boosting local economies
Improved infrastructure is also expected to strengthen socio-economic integration by connecting remote communities to wider markets and national supply chains.
The Ministry noted that upgrading local road networks can improve access to agricultural and pastoralist markets while reducing transportation costs and post-harvest losses.
Reliable water and electricity supplies can similarly support the growth of trading centres, micro-enterprises and value-addition activities, while expanding opportunities for digital inclusion.
Such interventions are expected to help integrate communities in marginalised regions more fully into the national economy.
Focus on human development
The Government further linked investment in basic services to the realisation of constitutional rights, particularly access to clean water, healthcare and education.
Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees these services as fundamental economic and social rights. The Ministry said faster delivery of essential services can contribute to better maternal and child health outcomes, reduce the burden of waterborne diseases and improve school retention.
The interventions are also expected to benefit girls, who in some communities bear a disproportionate burden of travelling long distances to collect water, potentially affecting their participation in education.
The Ministry said bringing marginalised regions closer to national service standards would help promote dignity, social equity and national cohesion.
The engagement between the State Department and the Equalisation Fund Advisory Board comes as the Government continues to pursue interventions to narrow development disparities and ensure that communities in historically underserved areas have greater access to basic services and economic opportunities.
The Ministry’s stated vision is to deepen and broaden East African integration to promote sustainable development and improve livelihoods for Kenyans.
